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Why Gliding?

Why glide?

Just imagine that you have completed all your initial training, gone solo and progressed from flying the K21 on your own to the Club Junior single seater. The day comes when you decide to join a syndicate and buy a share in a private single seater. You get launched, either by winch or aerotow, and after climbing in a couple of thermals you find yourself at 3000 feet, as in the photos above.

You are an early soaring pilot, so fly in the local area, improving your skills including navigation. You might fly to Faversham and back (about 15 miles) or decide on a little triangle, out to Pluckley, then Wye and Challock Village before returning to the airfield above right (about 20 miles).

After you have obtained your Bronze Badge and X Country Endorsement, you might aim to get your Silver, then Gold and Diamond Badges. Equally, you may be happy just to soar locally and enjoy the many possibilities of free soaring flight as you float gently over the glorious Kent countyryside.

The possibilities are endless as you may also be tempted to join a Club expedition, take your own glider to another club to fly in wave, join the Kent Vintage Glider Group.

In due course you may be asked to become an Instructor, passing on your knowledge and skills to the next generation of glider pilots, who will have started out just like you.

Soaring opportunities from Challock

Thermal

Ridge

Sea Breeze Front

Wave

This is possible occasionally from Challock, but wave is to be found more regularly and reliably in the Welsh and Scottish mountains. Below is a photo of wave encountered over Challock.